FAQs

At Perth Table Tennis Club, we want everybody to come and have a good time playing ping-pong, regardless of age, gender, or playing standard. With that in mind, here’s the answers to the most common FAQs.

What can I expect when I turn up at Perth Table Tennis Club?Be on the lookout for this man. He will be on the lookout for you!

First of all, come right into the hall so Greg (or whoever else is running the club that day) can see you! Don’t be shy!

Greg might be busy doing some coaching or playing, but don’t worry, he’ll notice you within a minute or two and come over to say hello.

Then just explain to Greg whether you are here for normal club play, coaching or whether you want to book a private table, and he’ll get you started.

How do normal club sessions run?

During normal club sessions, players just turn up and play other people who have also come to the club to practice. Typically two players will practice or play games for 20-30 minutes, then come off the court and ask somebody else to play. If there is somebody sitting down waiting for a game, we ask that players don’t take longer than 20 minutes before stopping and letting the waiting player have a turn.

Can I pay by credit card, cheque or PayPal?

Sorry, we accept cash only. We currently don’t have the facilities for other types of payments.

Do I need to bring a friend to play with, or can I play with other people?

There’s no need to bring a buddy, although of course you can! Like most table tennis clubs in Perth, we encourage and expect all our players to take turns playing each other, so there will always be someone willing to give you a game.

I’m just a beginner, will people still give me a game?

Of course they will! Don’t worry, there are other new players starting at the club all the time. And even the better players were all beginners once. Just stick to around 20 minutes before changing partners – that way everybody can take a turn playing with you, and you won’t need to feel bad about taking up too much of a better player’s time.

I’d really like to come and just have a hit with my partner/child/friend for a while. Is that OK?

That’s perfectly fine. You can guarantee a private table booking for an hour or more, using our online booking form. Or just ask for a private table when you turn up at the club. A private table is $10 per hour.

Do I have to bring a bat and balls?

No you don’t, we can loan you a bat and balls for no charge. We have a range of loan bats available from K-Mart specials, intermediate bats, right through to advanced bats for experienced players who haven’t got a paddle right at the moment.

Can I buy a new bat at your club?

We don’t sell equipment at the club, but we can put you in touch with our local table tennis dealers, who can make up a bat for you, or we can recommend some Internet suppliers who we use regularly ourselves. Come and have a chat to Greg before buying a new bat though, it is easy to spend a lot of money on the wrong type of racket!

Do I have to become a club member to play at Perth Table Tennis Club?

No, you don’t need to become a member to play at our club.

However, we do recommend that you become a Social Member of the WA Table Tennis Association, which costs $10 per calendar year (we have the forms available at the club). This gives you access to the Table Tennis Australia National Insurance Scheme. You can find details of the TTA National Insurance Scheme here.

The group coaching sounds great, but I can’t come every week. Is that OK?

No problem, you can come whenever you have the time. There’s no need to book in advance, just turn up at the starting time and join in the coaching group for that week.

My son/daughter would like to do the group coaching, but I’m not sure he/she has the attention span to do two full hours. Can he/she do just one hour instead?

Sure, that would be fine. The charge would be $7.50 for one hour instead of $15 for two hours.

I don’t really know all the rules of table tennis. Does that matter?

It doesn’t hurt to know the current laws of table tennis, especially if you plan to play in our Sunday tournament, but it isn’t essential. There have been a few changes to the rules over the last 20 years or so (such as 11 point games, time-outs, double-hits, and bigger, plastic balls), but don’t worry, you’ll soon pick them up!

What are your opening hours, and where is Perth Table Tennis Club located?

The Newgy Robo-Pong 2050 table tennis robots are available for all players to use for free as part of their club session. Unless you have used that type of robot before, please see Greg to get instructions on how to use them properly.

Note: The robot is a training tool for players, not a toy to amuse small children. There are motors, moving parts and electricity involved. Please do not allow your young children to use the robot unsupervised.

Can I get food and drinks at the club?

There is free coffee and tea available for players and parents at the club. Food and drinks are available on Sunday from Club 61, the nearby cafe, from 1pm-4pm.

There is also a water fountain just next to the front door of the club.

Are there any do’s or don’ts that I should know?

There are a few do’s and don’ts that we ask players to follow:DO take turns playing other people. We want everybody to have a fun time.DO introduce yourself to other players that you haven’t met. Hopefully you will be seeing them quite often in the future, so it’s nice to know their names!DO thank your practice partner after playing.DO enjoy yourselves while playing, but DON’T be so loud so often that you annoy other players.DON’T use bad language. A quiet swear word under your breath is understandable during tense matches, but loud, offensive screams are not on. Remember, there are children around.DON’T enter other people’s courts to chase your ball. Wait until they finish the point they are playing, then call “Let please” and ask for your ball back.DON’T damage or sit on the tables or nets. Accidentally hitting the table with your bat will happen from time to time and is fine, but DON’T hit your bat on the table on purpose.DON’T wear black soled shoes that could mark the floor.DON’T jump over the barriers. In 30+ years of playing, I think this has been the number one cause of accidents that I have seen.DO enjoy a snack or drink on the stadium seats, but DON’T bring food or drinks onto the courts.DON’T bring drugs or alcohol into the venue, or smoke in the venue or near the entrance.
As you improve, table tennis becomes a good workout. DO bring a towel with you so that you can wipe up any sweat you have left on the table.

Something happened at the club that I’m not happy about. What should I do?

If anything happens at the club that made you upset or uncomfortable, please either talk to Greg at the time, or let us know via the contact form when you get home, so that we can take the necessary steps to fix the problem.